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LSU manhandles Louisville in Citrus Bowl

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The LSU Tigers made Heisman Trophy winner Lamar Jackson look like an average quarterback on Saturday in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl in Orlando. With Jackson unable to create a single touchdown, the Tigers rolled over the Louisville Cardinals 29-9.

With LSU missing NFL-bound running back Leonard Fournette, backup Derrius Guice rumbled for 138 yards and a touchdown to help crush the Cardinals. Fournette sat out the game to avoid injury as he prepares for the NFL draft.

Jackson looked like a shell of the dynamic runner and passer that put up ridiculous numbers on his way to the Heisman. He rushed for only 33 yards on 26 attempts and was 10 for 27 passing for only 153 yards.

With his team leading 16-6 early in the third quarter, Guice put his stamp on the game with a 70-yard touchdown run that seemed to break the will of the Cardinals. Guice also caught a one-yard touchdown pass from quarterback Danny Etling in the second quarter.

The LSU defense manhandled the Cardinal offense throughout. They held Louisville to 220 total yards and allowed the Cardinals to convert only two of 17 attempts on third down. Jackson was sacked eight times.

On offense they dominated time of possession, holding the ball for 36 minutes to 24 for Louisville. LSU converted seven of their 17 third down attempts.

LSU finishes the season with an 8-4 record. Saturday’s win was the first for new coach Ed Orgeron, who was elevated from interim coach at the end of the regular season.

Louisville finished the season with three consecutive losses to wind up with a 9-4 record. Coach Bobby Petrino will face numerous offseason questions about the meltdown of a team that defeated Florida State 63-20 during the season.

They will play in Tallahassee next fall.

Bob Sparks is President of Ramos and Sparks Group, a Tallahassee-based business and political consulting firm. During his career, he has directed media relations and managed events for professional baseball, served as chief spokesperson for the Republican Party of Florida as well as the Florida Department of Environmental Protection and the Attorney General of Florida. After serving as Executive Deputy Chief of Staff for Governor Charlie Crist, he returned to the private sector working with clients including the Republican National Committee and political candidates in Japan. He lives in Tallahassee with his wife, Sue and can be reached at [email protected]

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